Meatworld senior butcher, Anthony Tomkins is disapointed and frustrated by the work of the vegan vandal.

Vegan vandal on rampage

07.11.2006

By AMY REMEIKIS

A "VEGAN vandal" has gone on the attack, using words and stones as his weapons of choice.

Maroochydore butcher shop Meatworld and their seafood offshoot, Fishworld felt the brunt of the animal activist’s ire over the weekend, with senior butcher Anthony Tomkins turning up to work early Sunday morning to be greeted by the words "meat = murder".

The vandal had several other messages he wanted to get across and also smashed Meatworlds front windows with bricks and stones, causing more damage by striking a display of free range eggs which was resting by the window.

Mr Tomkins said the culprit attempted to cover their tracks by covering three of the security camera lenses with spray paint, but images of the cloaked bandit have been handed over to police.

"It’s frustrating, for both our staff and our clients,'' he said.

"Our customers have had to come in here and be faced with that and we are trying to run a business here and it puts a damper on the day for our staff when they see that as well. It makes them feel frustrated, angry and annoyed that people can just do this."

Police are investigating whether the Meatworld vandal is also responsible for the message "eat more greens" spray painted on a fence along Maroochydore Road.

While not going as far as to condone the behaviour, Animal Activist Queensland’s Karen Nilsen sympathised with the vandal’s message.

"Anyone who has attempted to comprehend the violence and needless slaughter of 55 billion animals every year will realise that these actions are committed out of outrage and sheer frustration," she said.

"By comparison, the causeless violence committed by the meat industry is overwhelming yet often overlooked.